All-everything guard for Larry Hawkins' 1962 Carver squad. (Westchester, IL), East St. Louis (Harvey, IL), Yorkville Christian The Pirates went 76-11 in his three varsity seasons. Thornton finished second in 1995 and 1996 and third in 1997, when he earned McDonald's All-American honors. Rank Player Pos Ht / Wt Rating Team. Antoine Walker, Mount Carmel, 1994Future NBA All-Star and college national champion played center for the Caravan on a team that included Donovan McNabb. Russell Cross, Manley, 1980The 6-10 center was a McDonald's All-American and the Parade national player of the year in 1980. Columbia 1. Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 28-3 55 4. 1. He scored 86 points in four games, including 32 points with 16 rebounds in a quarterfinal against Elgin and 18 and 20 in the final against Galesburg. The high-scoring forward helped put Westinghouse on the map, leading the Warriors to their first city final in 1977 and their first city championship the next year. . Besides averaging 28 points, six assists and five steals for one of the top programs in the state, Brown fast became the darling of Illinois basketball with his fun-loving, high-energy appeal and genuine passion for the game. Lemont 3. Nick Anderson, Simeon, 1986As a senior, Anderson averaged 20.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks on his way to Mr. Basketball and McDonald's All-American honors. Darius Miles, East St. Louis, 2000The slender 6-9 forward showcased his freaky athleticism while leading East St. Louis to third place in 2000 and the quarterfinals in 1999. . McClain's 210 career steals are the fifth-highest total in Illini history, just two behind teammate Frank Williams for fourth place. Andre Iguodala, Springfield Lanphier, 2002The uber-athletic forward scored 86 points in four games to lead the Lions to second place in the 2002 tournament, forming a dynamic duo with sharpshooter Richard McBride. Cameron Christie, Rolling Meadows, 6-6, Sr. Jakeem Cole, Perspectives-Leadership, 6-1, Sr. Cooper LePage, Crystal Lake South, 6-1, Sr. Drew Scharnowski, Burlington Central, 6-8, Sr. Mark Nikolich-Wilson, Rolling Meadows, 6-7, Sr. Richwoods: 17-3: 22: NR: 10. Lincoln Way East 5. WNBA standouts Candace Parker, Tamika Catchings and Yolanda Griffith once took the hardwood at the high school level in the state . Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin28-3 55 4. He was the consensus national player of the year and a McDonalds All-American in 1978 and is in the discussion for the citys best all-time player. Chicago Simeon finally found a way to top Burbank St. Laurence 50-42 in an Illinois boys basketball matchup. Her senior season., she averaged a career-high 23.9 points a game for the 26-5 Public League champions and set a school scoring record with 47 points in a loss to Hanford, Calif., in the Nike Christmas Tournament of Champions in Chicago. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Joliet West Ronnie Fields, Farragut, 1996One of the most electrifying players to lace them up in Illinois or anywhere else, the high-flying Fields teamed with Kevin Garnett for the 1995 team that many consider the best not to win a state title. Proviso East 1. 1. Pinckneyville 17. Rockford Boylan 2. Jamie Brandon, King, 1990A four-year starter and three-time All-Stater for King's powerhouse program, Brandon played in 13 state tournament games, averaging 20.7 points. AinsworthSports.com . Barrington 1. Here is a look at the 10 best Illinois High School Athletic Association (IHSA) boys basketball players in the Class of 2023. PRO PHOTOGRAPHY. Metro-East Lutheran 2. Flick: The original Jake? He was Mr. Basketball and the consensus national player of the year and was the MVP of the McDonald's All-American game before the Timberwolves selected him fifth overall, making him the first player drafted directly out of high school in 20 years. For more, click here. Daryl Thomas, St. Joseph, 1983The McDonald's All-American and All-Stater led the Chargers to the Elite Eight in 1983. The three-time All-Stater and Parade All-American was Mr. Basketball and a McDonald's All-American in 1996, when he averaged 32 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 4.5 blocks and 4 dunks. The NBA doesnt even consider it playoffs, and the Bulls shouldnt view qualifying as an accomplishment. Eddy Curry, Thornwood, 2001The gentle giant's team is remembered for being on the losing end of one of the biggest upsets in state championship history. Top boys basketball teams: Peoria area | Springfield area | Rockford area, 4. Darrion Baker Hillcrest (Country Club Hills, IL) 7. Check out the Prep Girls Hoops 2023 Illinois Player Rankings. As a junior, he led the Jaguars to the state title. Dike Eddleman, Centralia, 1942Eddleman, who also starred in football and track at Centralia, used his high-arching two-hand "kiss shot" to score a then-state record 2,702 points while leading Centralia to three quarterfinal berths and the 1942 state title. He was Mr. Basketball and a McDonald's All-American in 2000, when some publications named him the national player of the year. Here are the finastaterankings of Illinois high school boys basketballteams in each class, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters. Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times Guards Darrin Ames, Kenwood, 6-0, Jr. Timaris Brown, St. Patrick, 6-5, Sr. Cameron Christie, Rolling Meadows, 6-4, Jr. Ryan Cohen, Glenbrook North, 6-1, Jr. Belleville East (26-7) was idle.2. MaxPreps High School Basketball Rankings. Led Commandos to state title in 1999. He scored 48 against Waukegan in a supersectional, and provided one of the state's first viral video moments when he scored 21 points in 75 seconds on his way to 52 points in a frantic loss at Proviso West. Listed in alphabetical order. "There are a lot of guys in the state who come in with more natural talent," said Manual assistant coach Chuck Westendorf. 1. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Kiwane Garris, Westinghouse, 1993Led the Warriors to three straight appearances in the city final, defeating mighty King in the city final in 1992, before finishing third at state. Jacksonville Routt 10. The four-year starter averaged 19.7 points as a senior and was named a McDonald's All-American. Marcus Liberty, King, 1987The three-time All-Stater and McDonald's All-American went neck-and-neck with Larry Johnson for national player of the year honors as a senior. Where do the nation basketball recruits rank? For results, click here. In an 88-70 quarterfinal win against Cerro Gordo, he had one of the best individual performances in state tournament history with 36 points, 24 rebounds and 12 blocked shots. Chicago Simeon narrowly edges Burbank St. Laurence in tight triumph 50-42. 153: Previewing the sectionals and looking back at the regionals, Regional rewind: Upsets, Catholic League dominance, West Suburban Silver success, Lightfoot is out, Vallas and Johnson are in the April runoff, No major damage reported as tornadoes briefly touch down in Joliet, Naperville, Progressive leaders can blame themselves if Garcia or Johnson fail to make mayoral runoff, Blackhawks trade Patrick Kane to Rangers in era-ending move, Oscar predictions: Signs point to Everything turning to gold, Blackhawks, shaken by trades, fall flat against Coyotes, 11th Ward Ald. The Hawks barely avoided being shut out in a 4-1 defeat Tuesday. Others receiving votes: Mt. He broke his neck in a car accident a week before the city playoffs as a senior in 1996, but not before totaling 2,619 points. Zion 11. Averaged 22 points and 6 assists as a senior. Mayo, let the debate begin. High school basketball: The areas top 50 players, Downers Grove North beats Young: We wanted to come at these city guys, Is this the Catholic Leagues year? Teddy Grubbs, King, 1979All-city player was one of King's first superstars and one of three jewels of the Class of 1979 with Isiah Thomas and Terry Cummings. scores and stories from any and all area high schools. Lowell Hamilton, Providence-St. Mel, 1985Star 6-7 center for the 1985 Class A state champions and a McDonald's All-American. Then the second 50. Curie 8. The Jaguars were in another league that season, winning their three games in Champaign by 28, 31 and 37 points. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. You have permission to edit this article. He led the Chargers to second place in 1978, a run that featured a memorable 63-60 quarterfinal win against Westinghouse when Thomas scored 26 points and Mark Aguirre had 28 for the Warriors. Marian Catholic (Chicago Heights) 4. Chicago Mount Carmel 26-4 32 9. (Chicago, IL), Simeon 50: 7: 8. The high-scoring forward helped put Westinghouse on the map, leading the Warriors to their first city final in 1977 and their first city championship the next year. In 12 state-tournament games, he totaled 157 points, 79 rebounds and 39 blocked shots. He averaged 38 points and 19 rebounds in four state games, with 47 points in a supersectional, 25 in the quarterfinal, 41 in a semifinal loss and 39 in the third-place win against Rockford West. Here are the girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points and previous ranking. Top247 247Sports Composite. Lyons 6. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. (Chicago, IL), Rolling Meadows As a sophomore, he led the "Flying Clouds" to the state title with a 14-13 win against Springfield, and they finished second the next two years. Chris Collins, Glenbrook North, 1992The second-generation star led the state in scoring as a senior with 32.1 points per game while shooting 50 percent and making 94 of his 200 3-pointers. Top247 247Sports Composite. He scored 2,335 points for teams that went 94-9, including undefeated regular seasons in 1975 and 1976. Jahlil Okafor, Young, 2014The 6-foot-11 Okafor's pretty-yet-powerful post moves helped the Dolphins win the 4A title in 2014, when he was named Mr. Basketball, a McDonald's All-American and the USA Today national player of the year. His 3,160 points are second all-time in the state, and his 912 free throws are an Illinois record. Peoria Notre Dame 4. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. Kenny Battle, West Aurora, 1984The high-flying forward led Gordie Kerkman's West Aurora squad to a third-place finish in 1984, when he scored 86 points in four state games, with a 28-point high against Champaign Centennial in the quarterfinals. On a team that started five guards, Williams led the Rams in points (23 points a game), rebounds (8), assists (6) and steals (4) and was named Mr. Basketball. Fulton 5. IL Saint Rita High School: 6'10'' 210: 86: Illinois Committed 11/05/2021. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The Wolverines dominated early, led by 32 at halftime . Who are the best Illinois high school girls basketball players from the class of 2022? Others receiving votes: Chicago HeightsMarian Catholic 8. 247Sports Recruiting. 9. The three-time All-Stater and McDonald's All-American averaged 29 points as a senior and led the Spartans to the state title in 2005. Where do the nation basketball recruits rank? Voise Winters, Gage Park, 1981His 1981 season was one of the best ever, with 1,048 points and a state-record 47.6 points per game. Leyden lists Grunwald as the only player in Illinois to be named an All-Stater four times. . Burlington Central: 20-4: 14: T9: Quincy 2. Nearly a million users nationwide share team scores and player performance stats with this convenient free app. . Tom Kleinschmidt, Gordon, Tech 1991The muscular forward led Gordon to the championship game in 1990 before falling to mighty King. 1 player in America when he was murdered in 1984 following an accidental run-in near the school eight months after helping Simeon win its first city and state championships. 21: Nicole Lee heads toward runoff, No moral victory awaits Bulls if they make play-in tournament, Former prosecutor Bill Conway wins aldermanic race in newly drawn Fulton Market, West Loop ward. 124, 15 reasons to be excited about this season, High school football notebook: Malik Elzy quickly catches on, Aidan Gray picks Northwestern, Illini start hot, City/Suburban Hoops Report Three-Pointer: Observations from the first live period weekend, High school football notebook: Brooks Bahr picks Michigan, Frank Covey heads to Northwestern, Ken Leonard prepares to retire, Nick Martinellis recruitment soars after emotional parting with Elon, A very early look at next seasons top high school basketball teams, Five players set to break out during the first live recruiting period, Lightfoot is out, Vallas and Johnson are in the April runoff, No major damage reported as tornadoes briefly touch down in Joliet, Naperville, Progressive leaders can blame themselves if Garcia or Johnson fail to make mayoral runoff, Blackhawks trade Patrick Kane to Rangers in era-ending move, Oscar predictions: Signs point to Everything turning to gold, Blackhawks, shaken by trades, fall flat against Coyotes, 11th Ward Ald. A daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute. Subscribe Already a subscriber? They were released on Feb. 23, 2022. 1. Glenbrook North 2. Glen Ellyn Glenbard West (11) 30-1 110 1. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Howard Nathan, Peoria Manual 1991The tantalizing ballhandler edged Tom Kleinschmidt for Mr. Basketball in 1991 after leading Manual to a title-game loss to Proviso East's Three Amigos. Lyons 2. (Chicago, IL), Hillcrest She moved to Texas the next year to be with her mom. With the season starting in Illinois this week, here is a list of 50 local players you need to watch play during some point this season. Grayslake Central 6. Candace Parker, Naperville Central, 2004After leading her high school to a second consecutive state title, she became the only three-time Ms. Basketball winner. Check out the player rankings on RecruitingNation.com. As a senior in 1976, he scored 48 points in a semifinal loss to Oneida ROVA and 45 in a third-place win against Buda Western and totaled 157 points in 4 games (39.3 average). First the top 50. . Bloomington Central Catholic 2. Ted Caiazza, Lyons 1953The dominant center averaged more than 30 points per game during Lyons' drive to the state title in 1953, scoring 31 against DuSable, 38 against Decatur St. Teresa, 27 against Pinckneyville and 25 in the final against Peoria. Doug Collins, Benton, 1969Collins averaged 29.1 points per game as a senior for Benton, which had powerhouse teams in the mid-1960s and early 1970s under future Southern Illinois coach Rich Herrin, but was unable to put a great team around Collins, leading to his nickname as "The Lone Ranger.". . He was the consensus national player of the year and a McDonald's All-American in 1978 and is in the discussion for the city's best all-time player. Taylor Ridge Rockridge 2. Dalen Davis Whitney Young (Chicago, IL) PG. Chuck Verderber, Lincoln, 1978The McDonald's All-American had 2,032 points and 1,014 rebounds for the Railsplitters, who went 28-2 and won a sectional in 1978. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). He led the Jaguars to the 1990 state title, scoring 26, 28, 27, and 25 points along the way and was named Mr. Basketball and a McDonald's All-American. Photo Galleries Explore and purchase photos of your local teams. Yorkville 1. Others receiving votes: Beecher 19. Andy Kaufmann, Jacksonville 1988Kaufmann was nearly impossible to guard, with range that extended nearly to halfcourt combined with a physical post-up game. One shot, hopefully the last shot. Effingham St. Anthony 8. (Rolling Meadows, IL), East St. Louis Buckner had 28 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists while igniting an intimidating press when Thornridge destroyed Quincy 104-69 in the '72 title game. Murphysboro 9. North Polk 61, Clear Creek Amana 30. Chenoa man sentenced to 6 years for attempted child porn, Rivian employee alleges racial discrimination in federal lawsuit, Bloomington man charged for strangling domestic battery victim, Cornerstone Christian making name for itself after capturing school's first regional title, Ty Blake's fast start propels No. Cameron Christie, 6-5, Rolling Meadows A wiry versatile player with endless length, Christie is a smooth perimeter threat as a shooter. He lifted the Railsplitters to state with 19 points and 15 rebounds in a memorable 54-50 supersectional win against Peoria Manual. Here are the boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points and previous ranking. Others receiving votes: East Dubuque 11. Olney Richland County1. 2024 Highschool Pos Rankings State Rankings. Listed in alphabetical order, here are the top 50 Illinois high school basketball players ever. Playing on a sprained ankle, he hit two free throws with 6 seconds to play to give Proviso a 37-36 victory over Champaign Central. Eddie Johnson, Westinghouse, 1976Starred for team that, with Mark Aguirre and Skip Dillard, was undefeated before falling to Phillips in the city final before 12,000 at the International Amphitheatre. MaxPreps Follow your favorite high school teams and players. Derrick Rose, Simeon, 2007The rare prep point guard who looked like he could step onto an NBA court, his speed, strength and skills were a package that was tough to beat. ) boys basketball teams: Peoria area | Rockford area, 4 area | Springfield area | area... Scores and stories from any and all area high schools, 1985Star 6-7 center for 1985! The Parade national player of the year Jacksonville 1988Kaufmann was nearly impossible guard! Tight triumph 50-42 player with endless length, Christie is a look at the high school Athletic (! 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